Re: Question on Database CharacterSet

From: Frank <fvanbortel_at_netscape.net>
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 19:37:26 +0100
Message-ID: <3E6CDB66.507@netscape.net>

DA Morgan wrote:

> "Mr. M" wrote:
> 
> 

>>Hi All,
>>
>>I would like to know if there is any method(s) to convert my Oracle DB to
>>another new DB. My situation is:
>>
>>Current Database:
>>(1) Oracle 8i running on WIndows XP.
>>(2) Character set: "WE8ISO8859P1"
>>(3) The setting of "Language for non-unicode Programs" is "Chinese (PRC)".
>>The setting was made in "Control Panel" --> "Regional and Language
>>Options" --> "Advanced" --> "Language for non-unicode Programs".
>>(4) There are already Chinese character data input in the database which I
>>think (but not sure) it's stored using GB code.
>>
>>New Database:
>>(1) Oracle 8i running on WIndows XP.
>>(2) Character set: "ZHT16BIG5"
>>(3) The setting of "Language for non-unicode Programs" will be "Chinese
>>(Taiwan)".
>>
>>How can I convert the existing DB so that the original data can be used in
>>the new DB? I have already tried to export the current DB and import to the
>>new DB but that doesn't work!
>>
>>Thanks.

> 
> 
> You should consider UTF-8 for your database if storing multiple character sets.
> 
> Go to http://tahiti.oracle.com or search the google.com archives for
> comp.databases.oracle.server and you will find information on changing character
> stes in 8i.
> 
> Daniel Morgan
> 

Daniel, and Mr M,

what character sets are you talking about? National or default? I suspect default, but it would be nice to point out the difference.

Mr M, define "does not work"...
<crystal ball mode>
exported using the new db settings
imported using same settings.
</crystal ball mode>

result: character conversions (you may have been warned during the import).

Try: export, using the characterset settings for the old db: set nls_lang=.WE8ISO8859P1 (the . is not a typo!) exp system/manager_at_old_db
set nls_lang=.ZHT16BIG5
imp system/manager_at_new_db

You should *not* get any messages regarding characterset conversions. Disregard any other characterset messages; you are actually fooling the databases in making them believe all actions are done in the current characterset, so no conversions need to be done.

-- 
Regards, Frank van Bortel

Received on Mon Mar 10 2003 - 12:37:26 CST